


Everything About You is so Overwhelming

by zap4612



Category: Dynasty (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-04-19 20:33:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 7,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21928825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zap4612/pseuds/zap4612
Summary: A collection of Falliam one-shots and ficlets to keep y'all fed
Relationships: Fallon Carrington & Liam Ridley, Fallon Carrington/Liam Ridley
Comments: 16
Kudos: 92





	1. You're so cheesy

**Author's Note:**

> I've decided to start off this collection with a holiday one-shot, so happy holidays to those who celebrate! And I'm warning you right now, this is pure fluff. :) The title is taken from the song "Overwhelming" by Jon Bellion.

Downtown Atlanta was always extra busy and crowded during the holiday season. It was also Fallon’s least favorite time of year. The winter season brought the cold and the stress of Christmas. Needless to say, Christmas at the Carrington house never went smoothly. But this year, the holidays felt different. Fallon had Liam by her side this year. And Liam loved Christmas. 

\---

Fallon wakes up to a cold, empty spot next to her. She frowns, pulling the comforter to her chin. She almost always wakes up with Liam next to her, acting as her personal pillow and heater. She was about to close her eyes again when she hears rustling. She picks her head up just enough to look over the mountain of blankets she was under. 

“Liam?” She asks, tilting her head. 

Her fiance was currently standing on a chair, hanging a garland laced with white lights over the door frame. Christmas had always been his favorite time of year. 

“Morning, Fal.” He says, grinning at her. 

Fallon shakes her head, falling back to her pillow. Liam slides back into bed beside her. Wordlessly, she settles her head on his chest. She’s looking to spend a little more time in bed before forcing herself up and into the cold. 

“What do you have against Christmas?” 

Fallon sighs. 

“It was always just an obligatory holiday when I was growing up.” She shrugs half-heartedly. 

She didn’t want to rain on his parade and was going to leave it at that until he prompted her to continue.

“Well especially after my mom left, my dad always threw some big party to try and fill the hole she left. Steven and I spent most of the time in his room, watching bad holiday movies and drinking whatever alcohol we’d swiped until Dad yelled at us or we passed out.”

\---

_ Sixteen-year-old Fallon tipped an expensive bottle of whiskey to her lips, taking a long swig. The bitter liquid provided a mere distraction from her inner turmoil. It was the first Christmas since Alexis had run out. Fallon passed the bottle to Steven before resting her head on his shoulder. Needless to say, neither of them were in a festive mood. Fallon had long since kicked off her heels and Steven had discarded his suit jacket onto the floor.  _

_ “I’m sorry this year sucks.” Steven whispered to her.  _

_ “It’s… it’s whatever.”  _

_ They fell into a tense silence that was interrupted by Steven’s door being pushed open.  _

_ “Would you two quit moping and come downstairs?” Blake scolded.  _

_ “Why?” Steven asked in exasperation. _

_ He and Fallon had made it clear they had no interest in making a big deal of Christmas this year, but Blake had gone and planned a huge party anyways.  _

_ “Because you two hiding from the party doesn’t present a united front, and I’ve got investors here who think just because Alexis left I’d be a mess and want to take advantage of that.” _

_ “Of course, it always boils down to money.” Fallon rolled her eyes.  _

_ Blake reached down to pick up Steven’s balled up jacket and tossed it at him. He turned away and descended the stairs.  _

_ “Are we actually going down?” Fallon asked. _

_ “You know he’ll get more pissed if we don’t.” _

_ Fallon groaned, sliding into her heels.  _

\---

Liam pulls her closer. It was safe to admit his family was just as dysfunctional as hers, but when it came down to it, they all cared about each other. They spent Christmas morning around the tree and visited relatives in the afternoon, the way so many other families did. He reaches out to play with the loose curls in her golden-brown hair. 

“What about Christmas morning? Or seeing family?”

“The morning was spent setting up for said party and the rest of the Carrington family wrote me off as a screw-up.” She explains it like it was something simple, but he can make out the feeling of hurt behind her words. 

\---

_ Fallon and Steven slowly walk downstairs to the swinging party. Hundreds of guests were sipping on eggnog and hot chocolate spiked with whiskey. A live band played jazzy versions of Christmas songs. Long strings of lights hung around the room and were wrapped around the columns.  _

_ “Fallon! Steven!”  _

_ They two turned around to see their aunt Carol coming up to them. She pulled them into a tight hug.  _

_ “Steven, I hear you’re going to Brown in the fall!” _

_ Steven smiled demurely.  _

_ “Oh, Fallon, why can’t you be like your brother? He’s so smart.” _

_ Fallon’s shoulders tensed as she gave a tight-lipped smile.  _

_ “That he is.” She replied, patting his shoulder.  _

_ Once their aunt left, Fallon dropped her smile and turned on her heel quickly. She took a step towards the table with spiked hot chocolate when Steven grabbed her wrist.  _

_ “You’re not getting wasted.” _

_ “Like hell I’m not.” She pulled her hand free.  _

\---

“Then I promise, I’m going to make this Christmas great.” 

Fallon smiles softly. She appreciates Liam’s dynamism. 

“Okay.” 

\---

“Ice skating?” Fallon stares at the rink behind Liam. 

The rink sits in the center of towering office buildings, lit by lamp poles wrapped in garlands. The moon casts a silver glow over everything and the stars twinkle brightly. The wind rustles her hair and makes her pull her ivory-colored coat tighter. He’s enthusiastically holding his hand out to her. This was not how she pictured spending her Christmas Eve but Liam looked so happy that she couldn’t say no. So she reaches out to lace her fingers through his and lets him pull her along. 

“I went ice skating all the time as a kid.” Liam explains. 

Fallon has to admit that she does find it sweet Liam is trying so hard to make her holiday season joyous. As they glide on the ice, Fallon glances up at Liam through her lashes, smile pulling at her lips. He catches her eye and gives her a crooked smile that makes her heart flutter. Liam moves his hand to dramatically spin her before catching her waist and pulling her back into him. Fallon laughs genuinely, gripping his shoulders. 

“Look up.” Liam points up over their heads.

Fallon tilts her head. Mistletoe hangs by a red bow above them. 

“You’re so cheesy.” Fallon smirks. 

“I needed some excuse to kiss you.” Liam shrugs, arms tightening around her waist. 

“You don’t need an excuse, idiot, we’re dating.” Fallon rolls her eyes but nonetheless leans up to wrap her arms around his neck. 

Their lips meet in a chaste kiss. 

\---

By the time Liam and Fallon make it back to the manor, Fallon’s cheeks are red from the cold. They collapse onto the couch in front of the fireplace. A tall Christmas tree covered in red and gold ornaments, white lights and strings of tinsel sat on one side of the room. The fireplace crackles, breaking the silence that the room was in. Fallon reaches up to pull the bobby pins from her hair, letting it fall messily over her shoulder. Liam throws his feet up, pulling her down next to him. She lays facing the fire, letting it warm her face. He tugs a blanket that usually rests on the back of the couch over them and wraps an arm around her waist. 

“I love you, Fal.” Liam whispers into her hair. 

“You too.” She mumbles back, half asleep. 

\---

“Good morning and merry Christmas!”

Fallon groans at the loud exclamation. She opens her eyes to glare up at Sam, who was cheerily standing over her and Liam. 

“Go away, Sam.” She murmurs, rolling over to hide her face against Liam’s shoulder. 

Liam looks equally annoyed to be woken so suddenly. 

“C’mon, it’s Christmas morning!” Sam continues, poking her shoulder. 

“And I’d like to sleep in.” Fallon smacks his hand away. 

Granted, the couch wasn’t the comfiest place to sleep but she and Liam weren’t moving now, considering they’d already spent the night there. 

“You two are lame.” Sam finally gives up.

Fallon looks up at Liam, who’s shooting her an amused look. 

“Merry Christmas?” He says it as more of a question than a statement, giving her a small grin. 

Fallon chuckles.

“Merry Christmas,” She replies, “Now, shush, I’m still tired.” 

Fallon’s Christmas was already better than previous years and she had Liam to thank. Liam rubs soft circles on her back until she falls back asleep.


	2. You can't distract me

Fallon holds her phone between her ear and her shoulder, scribbling a note to herself on a post-it. 

“Of course. See you at two,” She hangs up, “Allison!” She calls. 

Fallon’s assistant appears, pushing her glasses up her nose. 

“I’m meeting with Lily James at two so let her through.”

“Got it, Miss Carrington.” Allison leaves as quickly as she came. 

Fallon glances at the time in the corner of her laptop. 12:36. She turns her attention to answering emails until someone knocks on the partially open door. She taps out a last sentence before looking up slowly. 

“You’re adorable when you’re focused.” Liam observes in lieu of a greeting. 

A light pink blush spreads across Fallon’s cheeks as she smiles softly. Liam holds up a large iced coffee and a brown bag of Chinese food. Fallon’s out of her chair in seconds, grabbing the iced coffee and taking a long sip. Liam knows her well enough to know that if she’s caught up in work, she’ll forget to eat lunch and she’ll be craving coffee. He leans down to kiss her forehead while she sips her drink, leaning into him. He wraps an arm around her, pulling her to the beige couch before dropping the bag onto the coffee table. Fallon looks up at him, biting the straw in her coffee. 

“I appreciate you bringing me food, but I have a meeting with a possible prospective author soon and emails to answer.” 

Liam gives her an over exaggerated pout. 

“That doesn’t mean you can’t sit with me.” 

She finds it annoying that he’s so hard to say no to. He smooths the sides of her white button-up, tilting his head. 

“Fine,” She caves, “But I’m grabbing my laptop.” 

Fallon pushes Liam’s hand away before he can stop her, crossing the room to grab her laptop. Liam starts pulling food from the bag as she sits down next to him. The crooked smile he gives her makes her business-like exterior crack slightly. She reaches out for a container of lo mein and a plastic fork. Liam flicks on the small tv, flipping through channels idly. She settles against his side while they eat, barely focused on the news channel Liam had left on. 

\---

Half an hour later, they’d finished all of the General Tso’s chicken and Fallon was halfway through her coffee. The empty containers and plastic utensils were strewn across the coffee table. Fallon leans over to grab her laptop. Liam protests by wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back. She smirks, smacking his arms jokingly and retrieving her computer. 

“Do you have to, you know… work?” Liam practically whines. 

She kicks off her black heels, throwing her legs up across the couch. She rests with her back against Liam’s side. He snakes an arm around her waist.

“I own the company. So yes, I have to,” She tilts her head to look up at him, “And I’m sitting with you, aren’t I? So quit whining.” She captures his lips in a soft kiss before turning back to her laptop, which is sitting on her legs.

Liam chuckles, shaking his head.

“Besides,” Fallon continues without looking up, “You said it yourself. You think it’s cute when I’m focused.”

“Now you’re just turning my words against me.” Liam tries to feign hurt but can’t stop the teasing smile spreading across his face. 

Fallon shrugs one shoulder, smirking. 

“C’est la vie.” She mocks. 

Fallon clicks an email attachment, scrolling through the PDF pages. Liam tightens his arm around her, running his fingers up and down her side for as far as he could reach. She conveys her fondness towards the motion by pressing closer to him so he could reach better. Liam rests his feet on the edge of the coffee table, changing channels until he lands on some movie that was already halfway through. 

\---

Another half hour later, Fallon and Liam hadn’t moved, but Liam had grown bored of the movie. He glances at Fallon. The light from her laptop casts a slightly blue glow over her face. He leans over, brushing her hair behind her ear to press soft kisses to her neck. 

“You can’t distract me.” Fallon stands her ground, but the reflexive tilt of her head does little to deter him. 

“Oh yeah?” He asks challengingly. 

She hums in response. Liam kisses up to her jaw, running his hand along her collarbone. The only rise he manages to get out of her is a small shiver down her spine. But it doesn’t make her stop typing and look up at him. He then decides to try something else, something Fallon will inevitably fall for. He attempts to catch her gaze, but grey eyes never meet blue. He puts his hands on her hips but again, gets no response until he starts tickling her lightly. Instantly, she tries to squirm away from him. 

“Liam, no, oh my god!” She can’t help but start laughing, “I should have never admitted that I was ticklish!”

She tries to push him away, twisting in his arms. Her laptop falls with a loud thud.

“Told you I could distract you.”

Fallon huffs, still trying to push him away.

“You’re so,” She bites her lip to stifle a laugh, “childish.” She finishes, elbowing his ribs hard enough so he’d feel it but not hard enough that it actually hurts. 

Before they realize they’d gotten so close to the edge of the sofa, Liam loses his balance. Fallon yelps in surprise as they hit the floor in a tangle of limbs. She scrambles to sit upright, knees on either side of Liam. Her hair falls over her shoulders messily. His hands find her hips, smirking at her. 

“Consider me distracted, okay?!” She gives in, grabbing his hands to stop him. 

Before Liam can say a word, the sound of footsteps stops him. Fallon looks up into the slightly amused, slightly annoyed face of Lily James.

“I--we weren’t--it’s not what it looks like.” Fallon stutters, gesturing between her and Liam.

Her face turns bright red in embarrassment. Liam clears his throat awkwardly. Lily raises an eyebrow. With the two of them sitting on the floor like that, it’s easy to assume. 

“It’s not!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to suggest anything, I'll keep a list and try to write them <3


	3. I'm always endearing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is pure, undiluted bona fide fluff. I'll throw in shorter chapters like this to stay active.

“You’ve never seen Dead Poets Society?!” 

The shocked expression that’s etched across Liam’s face almost makes Fallon laugh. She shrugs half-heartedly instead. 

“It just sounded so… cheesy. I never watched it because I didn’t think it would live up to the hype.”

“That’s what we're watching,” Liam declares, sitting up, “Trust me, you’ll love it.”

He reaches out for the television remote. Fallon smiles softly, settling back against her pillow. He drops the remote once the movie starts playing. She leans over to turn off the lamp on the side table. Liam settles back, resting his head against Fallon’s chest, wrapping his arms around her. 

“We have these things called pillows, you know.” She teases. 

“Shhh, you’re missing the movie.” He ignores her teasing. 

Fallon rolls her eyes over exaggeratedly. She reaches up to run her fingers through his hair absentmindedly. 

\---

Forty-five minutes into the movie, Liam feels his eyelids growing heavy. Fallon’s hand stills when he shifts, pulling the duvet up. 

“Falling asleep already? You’re the one who wanted to watch this movie.”

“At least I’ve seen this cinematic masterpiece.”

“Cinematic masterpiece.” She repeats almost suspiciously.

“Just keep watching, Fal.” He mumbles tiredly. 

He picks his head up just enough to kiss her cheek. She smiles demurely. 

“You’re very endearing when you’re half asleep.” Fallon muses breezily. 

“I’m always endearing.” Liam replies, winking at her.

“Oh my god.” She mutters, dismissing his cheesy response by rolling her eyes and shaking her head slightly. 

Not unexpectedly, Liam falls asleep before the end of the movie. The end credits roll. Fallon flips the tv off, sinking into her pillow. She has to admit… it’s a good movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've never seen Dead Poets Society, you're missing out.


	4. Stay for a few more minutes

Liam wakes up to the sun cutting through the curtains. He rubs his eyes, yawning. Fallon’s pressed to his side, her head resting on his chest. She has one arm draped across his stomach, their hands intertwined loosely under the sheets. Her hair is fanned around her head, lightened by the sun shining across it. She’s wearing his old purple NYU sweatshirt. Liam finds her entrancing, even when she’s not trying. Although it doesn’t happen often, Liam loves when he and Fallon crash at his apartment. It’s kind of like they’re high schoolers again, crashing at his place after a party because it’s closer than the manor. Liam’s gaze roams around the room. His jacket and slacks sit in a heap on the floor next to Fallon’s heels. Her dress from the night before is draped over the back of his desk chair. The scent of her perfume lingers in the air. Liam discovered early in their relationship that Fallon is not an early riser. She’ll essentially lay on top of him and beg him to spend a few more minutes with her most mornings. He pretends to be annoyed but secretly adores it. Liam takes in the content expression on her face. Fallon shifts against him, eyes fluttering open.

“Morning.” Liam whispers into her hair, smiling softly. 

She hums in response drowsily. 

“Stop watching me sleep.” Fallon mumbles, closing her eyes again. 

She’s teasing him, of course. 

“Then stop using me as your pillow, Fal.” He counters.

She laughs softly. She knows he doesn’t mind being her personal pillow. She’ll happily spend hours in his arms, basking in the warmth. He leans down to kiss her forehead. 

“I’m going to make some coffee.” Liam starts to swing his legs over the side of the bed. 

“Stay for a few more minutes.” Fallon pleads, throwing a leg over his. 

He chuckles, letting her pull him back to her with little protest. She sighs contentedly, tucking her head under his chin. A few minutes turns into a few hours, the way it always does with her. Fallon ends up sleeping well into the afternoon while Liam plays with her hair idly. He decides he wouldn’t have it any other way.


	5. But if you tickle me again, we’re going to have a problem

Liam sits down on the edge of the bed. He’s fully dressed and awake whereas Fallon’s tangled up in blankets and sound asleep. Liam reaches out to tuck her hair behind her ear. She reflexively tilts her head into his palm. He leans down to kiss her temple. She stirs slightly. 

“I hate to have to do this to you--” Liam starts sympathetically. 

“Then don’t.” She interrupts, voice heavy with sleep. 

She knows what’s coming. He closes his mouth for a moment, sighing through his nose. He knows she’s tired from working late nights to get her company off the ground. 

“I hate to have to do this to you,” He tries again, “but you have to get up. We agreed to go to brunch with Sam and Kirby, remember?”

Fallon groans in protest, pulling the blanket up further in denial. She buries her head against her pillow. 

“Don’t make me resort to tickling you, because I will.”

She groans again, curling up protectively. Liam gently reaches out to tickle her side. 

“Leave me alone!” She practically whines, squirming away from him. 

He continues relentlessly. She pushes him away, grumbling in protest. She smacks his hand away. 

“C’mon, Fal.” He pulls her back to him. 

Fallon looks up over her shoulder at Liam. He’s shooting her an amused look. The annoyed face she’s giving him only makes him smile wider. He kisses her, trying to draw a smile from her. He manages to get a small grin. She rolls over to face him, resting her forehead against his chest. 

“Fallon,” Liam chides, pulling away from her, “We promised we’d go.” 

She groans, giving up and sitting up. 

“Fine, I’m up,” Fallon sighs, “But if you tickle me again, we’re going to have a problem.”

Liam only laughs, leaning in to kiss her forehead.


	6. You look better in it anyway

_ “I’m sorry, who are you?” _

The sentence runs through Fallon’s head repeatedly. It’s late at night and she knows she should be sleeping, but she’s lost in her thoughts instead. She tosses and turns endlessly. 

_ “I’m sorry, who are you?” _

It hurts more than she cares to admit. She knows it’s not Liam’s fault and she can’t be mad at him. She can be mad at whoever did this. She’s willing admit to missing him. A lot. Nights aren’t the same without him. 

\---

_ Fallon reaches up to pull out her ponytail. Her hair tumbles messily over her shoulders. She smooths it with her fingers before rummaging around in her closet for pajamas. When she climbs in bed, Liam’s sitting against the headboard, reading. She ducks under his arm and settles her head against his chest. He chuckles, moving to wrap one arm around her back. She closes her eyes and lets herself fall asleep quickly while he idly plays with the ends of her hair.  _

_ \--- _

She turns onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. She grabs her phone, tapping on her photos. The very last one in her camera roll is a picture of her and Liam from one of the parties at the Carrington manor that Kirby had taken. 

\---

_ The back patio of the Carrington manor had been decked out in strings of yellow lights and red roses. A full moon hangs in the air, surrounded by twinkling stars. Fallon presses against Liam’s side, trying to shield herself from the wind blowing around them. The thin red straps of her dress combined with a lace back did nothing to keep her warm. Liam shrugs off his suit jacket, draping it over her shoulders. She slips her arms through the sleeves.  _

_ “You look better in it anyway.” Liam teases. _

_ It was obviously too big on her. The sleeves went well past her fingertips. _

_ “Damn straight I do.” She laughs.  _

_ Kirby, having overheard the conversation, laughs as well before pulling out her phone. _

_ “Let me get a picture of you two.” She begs.  _

_ Liam moves to wrap his arms around Fallon’s waist and kiss her cheek. She can’t help but giggle, tilting her head. Kirby shows them the photo. Fallon’s cheeks are flushed a light crimson color and she’s mid-laugh, looking up through her lashes.  _

_ “I’ll send this to you.” Kirby says.  _

\---

Fallon studies the photo, tears threatening to fall.

\---

Liam shifts in the firm hospital bed. Various beeps and muffled sounds filter in from the hallway. The light casts a yellow glow near the door. Staring up at the ceiling, he starts running through his thoughts. It’s frustrating to have a black hole in his memory. He rolls over to grab his phone. He scrolls through some of his old text messages. The last thing he had sent was “see you soon” to Fallon. He didn’t remember doing that at all. It was simple and conveyed to him that they really were comfortable with each other. He desperately wished he could remember. He goes to his photos next. The last one he’d saved was a picture of him and Fallon. It looks like they’re at a party. She’s wearing his jacket and he’s kissing her cheek. The picture makes his heart ache, even though he can’t recall the event. They look happy. He stares at the photo until the sun starts to rise outside. 


	7. That’s possibly the sappiest thing you’ve ever said

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very tired so I hope this makes sense :P

Fallon’s head was clouded with bitter thoughts. She shakes her head as if she could shake the thoughts away and pushes her way into La Mirage. She’s met with the roar of guests, dancing and laughing. Fallon mentally curses herself for forgetting tonight was Sam’s Valentine’s Day party and she wouldn’t be able to wallow at the bar in peace. She studies the crowd and decides her urge for a drink trumps her urge to turn around and run away. Pushing her way through the crowd, she spots Kirby in a ruffled pink dress. Immediately the redhead’s eyes meet hers and melt in concern. Fallon runs her thumb under her eyes, trying to wipe away tears that barely had a chance to fall. All she succeeds in doing is smudging her mascara. Kirby looks Fallon up and down. Her cheeks are tear streaked and her eyes are red. She’s also dressed like what Kirby can also describe as a soccer mom. Fallon settles down at the bar, Kirby sliding into the seat next to her. 

“What happened?” Kirby asks, “And why are you dressed like that?” She adds as an afterthought. 

Fallon sighs, shrugging her shoulders defeatedly. She flags the bartender down and orders three fingers of whiskey. 

“Liam and I sort of got into a big argument.”

The redhead tilts her head, prompting the other girl to continue. Fallon attempts to explain what had happened, though she’s not sure it makes much sense. Kirby does her best to keep up.

“The worst part is that he’s right. He’s right. I never asked him and it was so stupid of me.” Fallon’s words shake. 

She takes a swig of her drink in an attempt to mask it. Kirby rests her head on her hand. 

“Seems like we’ve both had crappy nights.” She mutters. 

“What made your night so bad?”

Kirby’s cheeks turn pink like she’s embarrassed to admit it.

“The person I like and invited here tonight… kind of likes someone else.” She sugar coats. 

Fallon gives her a sympathetic and watery smile. She then knocks back the rest of her glass. 

“Want to see if Sam will hook us up with a room? We can raid the minibar and watch bad movies.” Fallon suggests. 

That drags a small grin out of the redhead.

“Sure.”

\---

“So what I’m hearing is that you two are hot messes.” Sam says after hearing Fallon and Kirby’s stories.

“I mean…” Fallon starts, but Sam shoots her a look, “yes, we are.” She admits somewhat sheepishly. 

He looks the two of them up and down. 

“You know what? I’m over tonight, too,” He chuckles, “Let’s get drunk on the minibar.”

\---

Kirby tips a small bottle to her lips, downing the rest of it. She discards it on the bedside table with the rest of the bottles the three had drained. Fallon stared blankly at the tv screen, which was playing some bad rom-com. Tears silently slid down her cheeks, tears she didn’t bother to wipe away. Her head may have physically been resting in Kirby’s lap, but it felt like she’d lost it somewhere up in the clouds. The alcohol made her feel hazy. She’d long since discarded her shoes and sweatshirt in a pile along with Sam’s coat and Kirby’s heels. She feels Kirby reach out to wipe her cheeks but doesn’t react. Sam was sprawled across the foot of the bed. He rolls over to face Fallon. 

“Maybe you should just call Liam and apologize.” 

It’s a logical suggestion, but considering how drunk she is, she’s not sure it would sound very sincere. And she knows it’s going to take one hell of an apology, which isn’t her strong suit. She realizes she should have talked to him and that her plan was crazy. Liam rarely got angry and the fact that he was so worked proves to her that she’d messed up. 

“I don’t know if I can handle that right now.” She mumbles honestly. 

\---

Liam falls back onto his bed in his apartment. The same apartment Fallon refused to stay in. He crosses his arms under his head and stares up at the ceiling as if it could tell him all the answers. The argument he’d had with Fallon plays on a loop in his head. He was willing to admit that he’d been a little harsh, but he was too proud to admit he was fully wrong. But he hated fighting with her. He hated the way she’d fallen back a step from him and her eyes glazed over with anger and sadness. Liam rolled over, grabbing his phone. He turns it over in his hand endlessly, debating if he should call. 

\---

Fallon feels like her head is filled with cotton balls. She rolls over to face away from the tv and squeezes her eyes shut. Kirby reaches out to gently stroke Fallon’s hair in what she hopes is a comforting motion. By the time the movie ends, Fallon’s half asleep. At some point, Sam had draped a blanket over her and retired to the couch. She’s drifting asleep when her phone ringing drags her awake. Squinting at the screen, her heart starts racing. It’s Liam. She passes her phone to Kirby.

“Tell him I’m asleep or something and I’ll call him tomorrow.” Fallon hears her own words slurring together in regards to the alcohol and the fact that she was essentially asleep, but she doesn’t bother to fix it. 

Kirby flashes her a panicked look. 

“Please.” Fallon begs. 

Kirby sighs and picks up.

“Liam? It’s Kirby.” 

Fallon hears muffled confusion from the other end. 

“Fallon’s… asleep. Can she call you tomorrow?”

Fallon lets out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She lays her head back down, shoulders tense.  
\---

Liam drops his phone. Asleep? The fact that she could sleep soundly after their argument baffled him. He tossed and turned tempestuously for hours. 

\---

Fallon wakes up the next morning to a splitting headache. She groans, reaching up to rub her temple. 

“I feel that, sister.” Sam looks similarly miserable. 

He’s standing in the small kitchenette, nursing a cup of coffee. Fallon sits up slowly. Kirby groans when she does, rolling over and curling up. 

“So are you going to call Liam?” Sam asks. 

“I don’t know what to say.” She confesses. 

“Well, I think we can all agree you both regret things you said and were both in the wrong.”

“How does that help me?”

“I’m just saying, I think you both need to make up with each other, but you’re the one who’s going to have to call first.”

Fallon frowns, pushing her messy hair behind her ears. 

“I guess you’re right.”

\---

A few hours later, Fallon had showered and changed. She texted Liam and asked him to meet her in the lobby of La Mirage. She sat at the bar, tapping her foot nervously. She glances up every time the door opens until finally, Liam walks in. Their eyes meet across the room. Fallon drops his gaze, only looking up when he comes to stand in front of her. The silence before them stretches uncomfortably long. 

“I’m sorry,” Fallon starts, blue eyes meeting hazel, “I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about what you wanted and I’m sorry I acted so crazy about the whole thing.”

“I’m sorry, too.” Liam replies softly, reaching out to take her hands. 

“I just… pictured this whole perfect home, something I felt I’d never had. But it was stupid because I realized home is wherever you are.” Fallon releases a shaky breath. 

“That’s possibly the sappiest thing you’ve ever said.” 

Fallon’s cheeks turn pink. 

“Does that mean you forgive me?”

Liam chuckles, moving to wrap his arms around her waist. 

“It does. As long as you forgive me, too.”

Fallon throws her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. 

“I do.” She whispers into his ear. 

“Good.” 

The two pull away from each other. 

“Is now a good time to tell you that I’m very hungover and would very much like to go to bed?”


	8. It’s never boring, I’ll say that

Fallon pushes open the door to the Carrington Manor, releasing a long breath. She's exhausted from work and her feet were killing her from the white heels she was currently wearing. Undoing the ankle straps, she pulls off her shoes before dropping her keys onto the round table. She makes her way to the living room, where she can hear the tv. Liam was sitting on the couch, remote in hand. Kirby and Sam were sprawled across matching armchairs. Kirby was more so scrolling through something on her phone than paying attention to the movie, but she glances up occasionally. Liam, sensing someone behind him, turns his head. 

“Hey, Fal.”

She smiles softly despite her fatigue. 

“Are you guys really watching Weird Science?” Fallon chuckles, nodding up at the cheesy 80’s movie. 

Liam shrugs, throwing her a crooked grin that makes her heart flutter. 

“Come sit down.” He says, gesturing her over. 

Fallon holds up a finger to signal she’d be back in a minute. She drops her heels before turning around. She returns with a fluffy blue blanket from one of the hall closets. Fallon takes the remote from Liam’s hand and moves it aside before laying her head in his lap and snuggling under the blanket. 

“Comfy now?” He asks teasingly, laughing softly. 

“Yes.” She replies, sighing contentedly. 

Liam drapes one arm casually across her waist, reaching out to play with the curls in her hair. 

“You two are disgustingly cute together.” Sam pipes up.

“I second that.” Kirby adds. 

Fallon, having looked up when Sam started talking, rolls her eyes.

“You’re a brave man for putting up with her crazy.” Sam points from Liam to Fallon. 

Liam huffs out a laugh. 

“It’s never boring, I’ll say that.”

That warrants a chuckle from Sam and Kirby, who turn their attention back towards the tv. Fallon rolls over, facing away from the screen and closing her eyes. She knows she’s a little crazy, a little more than one can usually handle but she’s impossibly grateful she’d found Liam, who loves her the way she is. She falls asleep to the sound of the movie and Liam’s even breathing.


	9. Feeling better with you by my side

“Fallon, you need to stop being ridiculous!” Blake yells, smacking his hands on his desk and standing up. 

Fallon takes a step forward, glancing at Cristal. She’s hoping that Cristal would be on her side, but she’s displaying the same annoyed face as her father. 

“I’m being ridiculous?! Dad, you’re defending Adam like he grew up in this family! Like he was here through thick and thin! Like he clawed his way to the top the same way I did!” Fallon burst out. 

“None of that is true, Fallon, and you know it! You ran every time things got hard! I did everything, I mean everything, for you! And how did you repay me? You became a self-centered party girl! You sold Carrington Atlantic out from under me! Adam has been more of a Carrington than you’ll ever be!”

Fallon felt like she’d been slapped in the face. More of a Carrington that she’d ever been? Hadn’t she done enough to prove herself to the family? Did everyone see her as a ‘self-centered party girl’? Had she been kidding herself this whole time? Fallon shook her head, falling back a step. 

“Screw you. Screw the Carrington name.” She ground out, turning on her heel. 

Fallon decided to do what she knew best. She put on a short, red cocktail dress, pinned her hair up, stepped into strappy heels, and touched up her makeup. Then she went to party. Hard. Club Colby was fairly crowded, which allowed her to drink, dance and forget herself without running into anyone she knew. She ran up her tab at the bar, downing old fashioned's and whiskey shots until she couldn’t see straight. She swayed on her feet, knocking back the rest of her glass. 

“One more, please.” She slurs to the bartender.

“Sorry, Miss, but I’ve been told to cut you off.” The man replies. 

Fallon’s eyebrows furrow together in confusion. 

“Fallon.” Someone calls her name, loudly enough so she can hear but soft enough for the caring tone to shine through. 

“Monica?” 

Monica appears beside Fallon. 

“I’m cutting you off, Fal.”

Monica gently pulls Fallon by the hand into her office. The music becomes drowned out when she shuts the door. Fallon falls onto the couch, resting her head on her hand. 

“I’m calling Liam.” Monica says seriously, holding her phone up.

“No, no, no!” Fallon pleads, reaching out. 

She can’t stand the thought of Liam seeing her like this, absolutely a mess. It’s a far cry from the put together businesswoman she normally was. She can barely think straight, let alone keep her words from slurring together.

“I’m sorry, Fallon, but I’m not letting you destroy yourself like this.” 

Fallon shakes her head, putting her head in her hands. She can make out little bits of Monica’s conversation with Liam. Her head starts to get cloudy and her vision blurs. Monica sits down next to her, reaching out to put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Fallon’s not sure how long they’re sitting there until the door opens. They both look up. 

“Liam.” Fallon breathes. 

Monica stands up, passing Liam as she heads out the door.

“Thanks for calling me.” He whispers to her. 

Fallon bows her head, trying not to look at Liam. His presence reminded her that she’d screwed up and she desperately wants to be forgotten. If there’s one thing Liam hates more than anything in the world, it’s seeing Fallon sad. Especially when it’s at the hands of her family. He hates the way her father hurls words at her, the way her mother abandons her time and time again and the way Adam antagonizes her every move. He despises the way her family taught her to shove her feelings down and told her being vulnerable was bad. People often didn’t get to see the softer side of Fallon. He can’t stand the way Fallon was desperately trying to hold back tears.

“Talk to me, Fal.” Liam says softly. 

Fallon can’t stop herself from bursting into tears. In one swift movement, he wraps her arms around her and pulls her towards him. She buries her head against his chest, clutching weakly at his jacket. All Liam could do was rub soft circles on her back and whisper sweet nothings into her hair until she caught her breath. Fallon pulls back slightly. He uses his thumb to wipe a few tears from her cheeks. He hates seeing her cry and seeing the pained look in her eyes. She takes a deep breath, trying to compose herself. Fallon tries to explain what her father had said, tried to explain that Adam making her look insane, but in her drunken state it made little to no sense. As fresh tears started to roll down her cheeks, she found it getting harder to breathe. Liam gently shushed her.

“Why don’t we get you home and you can try and tell me again in the morning, okay?” He suggests. 

“N-Not the m-manor.” 

There’s no way in hell she’s going back there.

“We can spend the night at my apartment then.”

He stands up, keeping one arm around her waist. She leans into his side, taking shaky steps. He helps her into the passenger seat of his car. Fallon rests her head against the cool glass of the window. She closes her eyes, letting herself fall into a light sleep. She lets Liam carry her into his apartment. He gently lays her on his bed. He then reaches to slip off her heels, carefully take the glittery pins out of her hair and pull the duvet to her shoulders. Liam leans down to press a soft kiss to her forehead. 

“I love you, Fallon. Don’t ever forget that.” He whispers.

“I know.” She whispers back without opening her eyes. 

God, did she know. She didn’t know what she’d to deserve him, but she was extremely grateful. She reaches out to pull him down next to her. Liam obliges, kicking off his shoes before sliding into the bed next to her. She rests her head on his chest the way she so often does. He waits until her breathing even outs to turn off the lamp by his side table.

\---

When Fallon wakes up the next morning, Liam’s already awake. And her head is pounding. She cracks her eyes open slowly, picking her head up slightly. Liam catches the movement out of the corner of his eye. He shifts, tightening his arms around her as a reminder that he wasn’t leaving her anytime soon. Fallon looks down to where her head was resting previously. She points to a smeary dark spot on his otherwise white button-up. Her makeup, which was no doubt smudged under her eyes as well.

“Sorry to say I got a little makeup on your shirt.”

He looks at her amusedly.

“That’s what you’re worried about right now? That’s what dry cleaning is for.” Liam tilts her chin up until blue eyes meet grey, “Tell me how you really feel this morning.” 

Fallon turned her gaze downwards. How was she feeling? Hurt that her father had essentially deemed her a screw-up, blindsided by the fact that Cristal felt the same way and tired of fighting a never-ending battle with Adam. She was also grateful she had such a caring best friend and boyfriend. Lastly, she was also aware of the fact that she had what felt like the world’s worst hangover.

“Feeling better with you by my side.” 

And it was true. Maybe her relationship with her family was estranged, but Liam had taught her that they didn’t define her. He was always looking after her, whether she realized it or not. 

“I’d feel a lot better if we could stay in bed for a little while longer.” Fallon muses.

“Deal.” 

Fallon lays her head down contentedly. She knows at some point she’ll have to make peace with her family. She knows she’ll eventually have to get out of bed. But for now, she doesn’t have to worry about that. Her previously harrowing thoughts left her mind as she closed her eyes.


	10. You’re impossibly annoying, you know that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's been a while, I've just been sooooooo stressed out with school but I'm back finally. <3

Liam reaches out to brush Fallon’s hair over her shoulder so he can draw absentminded patterns on her back. Her head was tucked under his chin, left hand resting flat against his chest. Her eyes were closed, long lashes just barely brushing her cheeks. Liam could tell she wasn’t asleep by the way she smiled softly when he ran his fingers up and down her spine but rather, she was relaxed. Liam moves to play with the peach diamond on her finger. 

“What about a destination wedding?” He asked, staring at the mesmerizing diamond. 

“Where?”

Liam shrugged.

“Honestly, I figured you’d planned your dream wedding by age twelve.” He teased.

Fallon laughs softly.

“I did, but it doesn’t seem like a big deal anymore.”

“Oh, so marrying me isn’t a big deal?” Liam’s still teasing her, feigning hurt.

“When you say it like that I sound like the worst fiancée ever,” Fallon props herself up on her elbows to properly look at him, “I just meant that it doesn’t seem so important to have a big wedding because honestly, that’s a lot of planning and I’d rather just spend my time with you.”

Fallon knows everyone expects a big wedding from her and Liam, but she’s not sure that’s what she wants. The two had done enough fighting to get to each other and didn’t need the stress of planning a wedding. She’d rather spend lazy mornings in bed, have movie nights and simply just exist. 

“Well, I’m glad you like me more than you like planning a wedding.” Liam continues to joke, even after her endearing speech. 

She huffs out a laugh.

“You’re impossibly annoying, you know that?” 

“You pronounced amazingly charming wrong.” 

Fallon’s head falls back and she rolls her eyes. Liam laughs, pulling her closer to him. 

“Remind me why we’re engaged again?” Fallon’s dopey smile betrayed any harshness the words held.

Liam’s only response was to lean in and kiss her.


	11. And that was all he could ask for

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me writing fanfic to procrastinate writing my 2000 word essay? More likely than you think.

Fallon leans heavily against the side of the elevator, letting out a long breath. A grueling day at work paired with a restless night's sleep left her feeling drained. It had only been one night with Connor but Fallon was already uneasy. The ten-year-old didn’t understand that his mom had left him. He’d spent the night on the couch after falling asleep watching cartoons. Luckily, Liam was more level-headed about the situation than she was. He was already attempting to find Heidi. The ding of the elevator snaps her out of reprieve. She swipes her keycard, waiting for the light to turn green before pushing open the hotel door. 

“Hey, babe.” Liam greets. 

Connor barely looks up from his coloring book. He was lying on his stomach on the floor in front of the tv, crayons strewn around him. Liam’s laptop was balanced in his lap, feet thrown up on an ottoman. 

“Hey.” She replies softly.

It’s almost heartwarming to see Liam and Connor acting so domestic, but then she thinks about Heidi and the feeling vanishes. What kind of woman leaves her son and runs off? Her mind filters to Alexis, who had very similarly left she and Steven and almost scoffs out loud. Instead, she steps out of her heels and drops her purse. 

“I was about to order room service. Want anything?” 

Fallon shakes her head. All she really wants is to lay down. She pushes Liam’s laptop out of the way and rests her head in his lap. Liam drapes one arm across her waist protectively. He then picks up his phone to order room service, a grilled cheese for Connor and pasta alfredo for him. Fallon, already half-asleep, ponders how long she and Liam can keep living like this. In a hotel room with a child who doesn’t understand his mother wasn’t coming back, at least not anytime soon. How long it would take for Connor to warm up to her or if she would even be a good stepmother. If Liam still felt unsure about having kids. She shifts slightly, sighing through her nose. 

\---

Half an hour later, Connor was finishing up his grilled cheese and Liam’s plate was empty. Fallon, on the other hand, was sleeping soundly in Liam’s lap. Connor was relatively quiet, invested in whatever cartoon show he was watching. Liam watches Connor climb up onto the couch beside him, falling onto a pillow. The boy's eyes stay glued to the screen. Liam then looks down at Fallon. Her chest rises and falls with even breaths and her hair was fanned around her head. He wonders what the future holds for him and Fallon and now Connor. He wasn’t sure he wanted kids, but the ten-year-old had been thrown into his life. The situation was less than ideal, but for now, everything was serene. And that was all he could ask for.


End file.
